Texas governor says 'no mob rule' in Legislature on abortion

By Miguel Marquez and Ed Payne, CNN

Updated 1:03 PM ET, Tue July 2, 2013

Photos: Controversial Texas abortion bill 28 photos

Controversial Texas abortion bill – State troopers look on as a group in Austin, Texas, protests a new state abortion law in July. Parts of the law were ruled unconstitutional on Monday, October 28 -- a day before they were scheduled to take effect.

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Photos: Controversial Texas abortion bill 28 photos

Controversial Texas abortion bill – Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus strikes the gavel after a provisional vote on the abortion measure passed July 9. A lawsuit, filed by Planned Parenthood on behalf of more than a dozen women's health care providers across Texas, alleged that the new abortion limits violate the constitutional rights of women and put unreasonable demands on doctors who perform abortions.

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Photos: Controversial Texas abortion bill 28 photos

Controversial Texas abortion bill – Supporters of the abortion limits react in the gallery of the Texas House after the measure was provisionally approved July 9. The measure seeks to ban abortions past 20 weeks of gestation, mandate abortion clinics to become ambulatory surgical centers, and tighten usage guidelines for the drug RU486. It would also require doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic where they're providing abortion services.

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Photos: Controversial Texas abortion bill 28 photos

Controversial Texas abortion bill – Opponents of the abortion bill yell outside the Texas House after the bill is provisionally approved.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – State Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, sponsor of the bill, leaves the Texas House floor after the bill passed in July.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Anti-abortion activists take part in a rosary procession around the state Capitol as the House debates the bill in July.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – State Sen. Wendy Davis speaks at a news conference outside the state Capitol as the Texas House prepares to begin debate on the bill in July. In late June, Davis blocked the bill with a filibuster, talking for more than 10 hours and running out the clock on the regular legislative session.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Supporters of the bill listen to speakers July 8 at a rally organized by the Texas Right to Life Organization.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Abortion rights activists march from the Texas Capitol on July 8.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Members of the public line up July 8 for an opportunity to speak at a Senate hearing on the proposed bill.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Republican Sen. Bob Deuell set two pairs of infant shoes on the counter while speaking at a Senate hearing July 8.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Anti-abortion protesters gather on the ground floor of the state Capitol as abortion rights protesters gather on the balcony of the outdoor rotunda July 8.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Abortion rights activists react as an anti-abortion group prays below them during the July 8 Senate hearing.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – Opponents of the abortion bill walk in circles around supporters of the bill as a committee holds hearings at the state Capitol on July 2.

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Controversial Texas abortion bill – A man blows a horn as supporters and opponents of an abortion bill gather near a hearing for the bill on July 2.

Texas lawmakers returned for a second special session on Monday to reconsider anti-abortion legislation derailed initially by a one-woman filibuster and a raucous crowd at the state Capitol that drowned out a final effort to push it through.

In calling the Legislature back into session, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, described last week's events in the state Capitol as "unprecedented anarchy" and said "mob rule" would not be tolerated this time around.

State Sen. Wendy Davis, a Democrat who led last week's dramatic political charge and became a newly minted heroine of abortion rights in the process, energized a rally in Austin before the Legislature reconvened.

"Together we can do what they won't. We can stand. We can stand up together. We can stand up for what's right. We can stand up for Texas," Davis said to cheers. "Texans need someone who will stand up for their values."

The bill would ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and would tighten regulations on abortion clinics and the doctors who work at them. Critics said the measure would have shut most of the abortion clinics in Texas.

In a series of radio interviews on Monday, Perry said the lieutenant governor and the speaker are not going to allow "turmoil" and "mob rule" in their chambers.

The shouting, which Perry described as "unprecedented anarchy" marked an unprecedented moment in the Capitol, but the governor insisted it won't derail the bill.

"Regardless of whether there is a vocal opposition ...Texans and their views will prevail," he said.

Bitter debate

The virtual debate over the legislation has been less than civic at times, with supporters coalescing around the Twitter hashtag #stand4life and opponents using #standwithwendy, in honor of Davis, as their rallying point.

"WE ALL know all abortions are NOT for mother's health, but simply bc they don't want a baby then. Farce to protect baby murder. #Stand4Life," said a post from Rhonda Nelson.

Perry claimed Davis ignored her own past as the daughter of a single mother in her bid to prevent abortion rights from being restricted in the Lone Star state.

"I'm all about honest, open debate," Perry said at a national "Right to Life" convention in Dallas last week. "Parliamentary tactics are certainly nothing new. But what we witnessed Tuesday was nothing more than the hijacking of the Democratic process. And this is simply too important a cause to allow the unruly actions of a few to stand in its way."

Perry argued Thursday that biography should instead have provided Davis guidance in her personal views on abortion.

"The fact is, who are we to say that children born into the worst of circumstances can't grow to live successful lives?" Perry said. "In fact, even the woman who filibustered in the Senate the other day was born into difficult circumstances. She was the daughter of a single woman. She was a teenage mother herself. She managed eventually to graduate from Harvard Law School and serve in the Texas Senate. It's just unfortunate that she hasn't learned from her own example, that every life must be given a chance to realize its full potential and that every life matters."

On Monday, Davis pointed to her daughter, now 30, and said she doesn't "regret for one moment" the decisions she's made in life.

"We're fighting for a Texas where every woman is able to overcome her unique challenges because she had the same choices and same chances I had," Davis said, adding Republicans in the state were "bullying women who need help with their healthcare."

The state senator told NBC News she hasn't "ruled out" the idea of running for governor next year but is focused on preventing the abortion bill from passing in the special session.

In her slew of recent media interviews, Davis has argued that Perry is simply trying to boost his political aspirations by being a big voice in the abortion battle.

Asked about Davis on Monday, Perry, who hasn't announced whether he'll run in 2014, told KFYO the issue is about a debate over life and women's health, not "someone's political future."